The grass withers, and the flowers fade.
The reality of ageing is inevitable – especially for us females, advertisements and the beauty industry have long educated us about wrinkles, saggy and dull skin. If we’re honest? It is scary.
But while there’s much talk about the effects of ageing on our outward appearances, who’s talking about the real skin-deep effects of ageing?
While talking about bone fractures and depression is certainly not as sexy as the latest beauty product Hailey Bieber is promoting, more needs to be said. And this is what we’re going to do today.
THE (REAL) PROBLEMS WITH AGEING
Did you know? The same reason why we have wrinkles and dull skin – is the same reason why we become targets for heart diseases and bone fractures.
The answer: a decline of collagen and estrogen production levels as we age.
What does this mean for our bodily functions? We speak to a female health expert to find out.
Hyperthyroidism, Osteoporosis & Heart Diseases
Datuk Dr Alice, a specialist with over 40 years of experience, shares the sad truth – that menopause causes estrogen decline a lot earlier in women than in men.
While this seems like a duh fact, the way hormone declines manifest in our physical deterioration is a huge bane to our realities.
The bone is made up of 71% collagen. This means that during menopause, your cartilage suffers first – you start getting creaky joints, pain in squatting and standing up. And not to scare you but… fractures are indeed one of the leading causes of deaths in females.
If that isn’t enough, Dr Alice goes on to share – in this clip – how “a lot of females experience hyperthyroidism… (this occurs when) your metabolism really goes down – abdominal fats increase and this causes inflammation (in turn causing) insulin resistance, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.”
THE SOLUTION FOR AGEING (IT'S NOT BEAUTY PRODUCTS)
While we tend to take care of ourselves better these days, ageing is inevitable – simply due to our food, environment and toxins. How then can we better support ourselves leading up to, or even during menopause?
I. Body
Keep active. Dietary changes.
Keeping active is key – this looks like doing yoga, running, walking – anything that puts pressure on your feet to ensure your joints are supported so you keep your bones strong and healthy. Keeping active also helps manage hyperthyroidism, and produces feel-good endorphins to keep you happy!
Of course, stay away from inflammation-causing foods and opt for happy-hormone foods instead.
II. Mind
When you put in the hard work, heart work matters too. This looks like being supported by a strong community around you.
Dr Alice strongly advocates for finding a peer support (it could be family or friends), learning to let go, finding peace, meditation, and stopping to smell the roses.
The body is truly a complex system. Our bodies are not built to function the exact same throughout different seasons.
While there might be times you aren’t able to fully comprehend changes, here’s a reminder to be gentle to yourself – it is completely normal to feel confused and even lost.
When we talk about the importance of community, here at It’s Pieority, we aim to provide you with comprehensive tips on holistic wellness and nutrition, so you are able to take care of your body with grace and love.
For full scoop of tips and advices from Doctors, check out our Instagram page here! Each month, we bring onboard different experts to chat with us about health & nutrition.
